1. What If . . .

2. Students today can’t prepare bark to calculate their problems. They depend on their slates which are more expensive. What will they do when the slate is dropped and it breaks? They will be unable to write!

3. Teacher’s Conference 1703

4. Students today depend on paper too much. They don’t know how to write on a slate without getting chalk dust all over themselves. They can’t clean a slate properly. What will they do when they run out of paper?

5. Head’s Association 1815

6. Students today depend too much upon ink. They don’t know how to use a pen knife to sharpen a pencil. Pen and ink will never replace the pencil.

7. National Union of Teachers 1907

8. Students today depend on these expensive fountain pens. They can no longer write with a straight pen and nib. We parents must not allow them to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of learning how to cope in the real business world which is not so extravagant.

9. PTA Newsletter 1941

10. Ballpoint pens will be the ruin of education in our country. Students use these devices and then throw them away. The traditional values of thrift and frugality are being discarded. Business and banks will never allow such expensive luxuries.

11. Teachers 1950

12. You can’t use those calculators on the test. If I let you do that, you wouldn’t ever learn how to use the tables in the back of the book and use interpolation to figure out your trig ratios.

13. Secondary School Maths Teacher 1980

14. We can’t let them use calculators in middle school. If we do, they’ll forget how to do long division or how to multiply three digit numbers by three digit numbers. What will they do when they don’t have access to a calculator?

15. Middle School Maths Teacher 1989

16. Why would you ever want the Internet for student use? It’s just the latest fad – have them use the library.

17. Librarian 1995

18. You don’t need a web page [for our school]. Who’s ever going to look at it?

19. Bursar 1995

20. Teachers will never use email.

21. Primary Teacher 1998

22. Why do you want network points at every teacher’s desk? You’re not thinking of getting a computer for all of them are you?

23. Deputy Head 1999

24. What can you do with an LCD Projector that you can’t do with an overhead projector?

25. AV Technician 1999

26. Why are we talking about students having laptops in school? I don’t think most parents will even give their kids their old computer, much less buy them a new one.

27. Chair of Governors 2000

28. I don’t think we’ll have a wireless network at our school anytime soon.

29. ICT Subject Leader Spring 2005

30. Turn off and put away all mobile Phones, iPods, and Electronic Devices during class!

31. Signs around many schools Autumn 2007

32. What If . . . We’d listened?